Ole Miss chancellor denounces election protests

University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones says he is disappointed in the "immature and uncivil approach" taken by some students following Tuesday night's election results, which resulted in hours of on-campus protesting that has now become a national news story.

A statement released by the university Wednesday says some students notified university police that people were gathering near the student union to protest President Obama's reelection.

Officers arrived to find about 30-40 students in front of the union, which quickly grew to more 400 students within 20 minutes.

UPD ordered the group to return to their residence halls, which took about 25 minutes, according to the statement. But another group of about 100 students gathered at another residence hall soon after. Officers made two arrests for disorderly conduct: one for public intoxication and one for failure to comply with police orders.

Jones said social media played a huge role in both prompting the gathering and spreading misinformation about what actually happened.

Initial reports on Twitter labeled the gathering as a "riot," but many observers say it was simply a small group of angry students assembled in protest. Photos quickly spread on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram of students gathered on campus, including one photo showing a Obama/Biden campaign sign that had been set on fire.

"Unfortunately, early news reports quoted social media comments that were inaccurate," he said. "Too, some photographs published in social media portrayed events that police did not observe on campus. Nevertheless, the reports of uncivil language and shouted racial epithets appear to be accurate and are universally condemned by the university, student leaders and the vast majority of students who are more representative of our university creed."

Jones said parents are being notified that "one of America's safest campuses is safe again this morning, though all of us are ashamed of the few students who have negatively affected the reputations of each of us and of our university."

According to various media reports, no students were hurt during the protests.